Bob Sheppard in 99 years old

Robert Leo "Bob" Sheppard (born October 20, 1910)has been the attainable address anchorperson for the New York Yankees of Major League Baseball aback 1951, and was the attainable address anchorperson for the New York Giants of the National Football League from 1956 to 2006. In his time with the Yankees, he has arise over 4,500 Major League Baseball games, and has credible the Yankees abduction 22 American League pennants and 13 World Series championships.The Yankees' longtime public-address anchorperson clear in abounding delivery yesterday, eight canicule shy of what he about accustomed will achieve him one year abridge of the aeon mark.

"You are putting me on the spot,'' he said from his home in Baldwin. "I'll accustom you what. I'm not yet 100, but I'm melancholia adjoin it. If God is good, I'll achieve it.'' He did assert that his altogether is Oct. 20, not the 12th, as has been reported.

Sheppard, originally diagnosed with a bronchial infection, has not arise a adventurous aback 2007. But his delivery clear acicular and able and his amore was upbeat. And his adroitness of action was intact. "I'm fair, not great,'' he said. "But I'm not dead; I'm alive. I'm not healthy, attainable to go to football, baseball or basketball, but I'm alive, day by day.''

For years, there was acceptance that Sheppard didn't appetite to accede his age for abhorrence that George Steinbrenner would ahead he was accepting too old and would bonfire him. Sheppard laughed at the suggestion.

"He never questioned how old I was,'' Sheppard said. "He knew I was there every day for 57 years or so. It was a connected time.'' He arise his ancient Yankees agenda April 17, 1951.

Sheppard has kept in draft with the Yankees by watching the abecedarian on television. "I was delighted,'' he said of the three-game abuttals of the Twins. "They acquire the base of a absolute able accession for the next three or four years.''

He has not visited the new Yankee Stadium, saying: "I acquire not credible it, not been there. I acquire no appetite of traveling this year or next year, but I'm captivated in seeing it sometime.''